金正恩拄拐在國家媒體上露面

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made his first public appearance in More than 40 days, resurfacing in state media photos carrying a cane.

The official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday Mr. Kim visited a residential district and a science institute where he gave "field guidance," a regular routine for the young leader.

KCNA, along with the country's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, published several photos of a smiling Mr. Kim leaning on a black cane, which he held in his left hand.

The reports did not say when the photos were taken. They also did not mention Mr. Kim's prolonged absence or explain why he was carrying the cane.

The disappearance of Mr. Kim, regarded by many North Koreans as a near divine figure, prompted global speculation he was suffering a serious health or political problem.

Lim Jae-chun, a North Korean studies professor at Korea University, tells VOA that Pyongyang may have released the photos in response to the rumors.

The North Korean leader, believed to be 31 years of age, succeeded his father Kim Jong Il in 2011. He had last been seen September 3 at a concert by his favorite pop group, the Moranbong Band, a group consisting of five young women, all hand-picked by Mr. Kim.

He then missed several high-profile political events, including a meeting of the country's ceremonial parliament in late September and last Friday's anniversary of the ruling Korean Worker's Party.朝鮮領導人金正恩在從公衆視線中消失了40多天後首次公開露面，朝鮮官方媒體刊登的照片顯示金正恩手拄柺杖。

朝鮮官方的朝中社星期二報道說，金正恩視察了一個居民住宅區和一個研究院，並在場親臨指導。金正恩經常到各地視察指導。

朝中社和朝鮮主要報紙《勞動新聞》刊登了幾張金正恩的照片。金正恩在照片中微笑，左手拄着一把黑色柺杖。

報道沒有說明照片是何時拍攝的，也沒有提及金正恩長期沒有露面和他爲什麼手拄柺杖。

被朝鮮大多數人近乎神化的金正恩從媒體消失後國際社會推測他可能患重病或者朝鮮政局出現問題動盪。

韓國高麗大學朝鮮研究教授林載淳對美國之音表示，平壤公佈這些照片可能就是爲了迴應這些傳言。

金正恩2011年接替他的父親金正日成爲朝鮮領導人。據信他的年齡在31歲。他上一次露面是9月3日觀看他最喜歡的牡丹峯樂團演出。該樂團有五位年輕女性組成，全部是金正恩親手挑選的。

金正恩隨後缺席了幾次重要的政治活動，包括9月末朝鮮無實權的第13屆朝鮮最高人民會議第二次會議和上週五的朝鮮勞動黨建黨週年活動。